Every successful supervision practice begins with a clear plan. Planning helps ensure your services are aligned with professional ethics, the needs of supervisees, and the practical realities of running a business.

Carroll (2007) emphasises that supervision practices should be grounded in strong professional values. For supervisors working with mediators and dispute resolution professionals, these values often reflect the core principles of dispute resolution practice, including:

• Impartiality – maintaining neutrality and professional integrity

• Client wellbeing – ensuring safe and ethical practice

• Respect and inclusivity – supporting culturally responsive and accessible services

Clarifying your professional values helps shape how you design and deliver supervision services.

Defining Your Supervision Services

As part of your planning, it is important to define the scope of the services you wish to offer.

Key questions include:

Supervision format
Will you offer individual supervision, group supervision, or a blended model?

Professional focus
Will you work primarily with mediators and Family Dispute Resolution practitioners, or extend your services to other dispute resolution professionals?

Delivery mode
Will sessions be delivered face-to-face, online, or through a hybrid model?

Example:
A supervisor may choose to specialise in online group supervision for dispute resolution professionals in regional areas, combining accessibility with peer learning.

Legal and Professional Requirements

Operating a supervision practice requires meeting basic legal and professional obligations.

Depending on your circumstances, this may include:

Business registration
Registering for an ABN (Australian Business Number) or appropriate business structure.

Insurance
Maintaining professional indemnity insurance and, where relevant, public liability insurance.

Privacy and confidentiality
Ensuring supervision records and client information are managed in accordance with privacy legislation and professional confidentiality obligations.

Professional registration
Maintaining relevant professional accreditation or registration, such as mediator accreditation or Family Dispute Resolution practitioner registration where applicable.

Meeting these requirements helps protect both the supervisor and the supervisees and supports the credibility of the supervision practice.

Financial Planning

Sound financial management is important for building a sustainable supervision practice.

Supervisors should consider how they will structure their pricing and manage their business costs.

Common pricing approaches include:

Hourly rates
Charging a set fee per supervision session.

Session packages
Offering a group of sessions at a discounted rate.

Subscription or membership models
Providing ongoing supervision support for a regular monthly fee.

Supervisors should also consider practical aspects such as:

• invoicing and accounting systems

• tax obligations

• business expenses such as software, meeting platforms, and professional development

Many supervisors begin with a low-overhead model, working from a home office and conducting sessions online before expanding their services.

Example:
A supervisor may initially run online supervision sessions and later introduce in-person group supervision workshops as their practice grows.

Practical Tip

When starting a supervision practice, it is often helpful to begin with a simple, flexible model and refine your services over time as your professional networks and supervisee base grow.